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TuesdayJanuary2720153POLITICSELECTIONSEveryoneisinvitedtoanOpenHouse101KingStreetFortSmithformerlyMadonnaHouseSaturdayJanuary31from11am-3pmCheckoutFortSmithsnewestaccommodationchoice.ToursandFreeRefreshmentsWorkshopaimstoputmorewomenonNWTballotByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithjusttwooutof19seatsintheNWTLegislativeAssemblycurrentlyoccupiedbywomengenderequalityadvocatesintheter-ritoryarehopingmoretrainingandsupportforwomenwillhelpcurbthecurrentstateofgrossunderrepresentationinNorth-ernpolitics.TheStatusofWomenCounciloftheNWTisgearingupforitsthirdcampaignschooltakingplaceFeb.6and7inYellowknifeaimedatgettingmorewomencomfortablewithrunningapoliticalcampaignintheup-comingterritorialelectionpresentlyslatedforOctober.WithnowomenintheretheresnotalotofrolemodelsoutthereforyoungwomenthecouncilsexecutivedirectorLorrainePha-neuftoldTheJournal.Theyseeitassome-thingthatsmaybenotattainable.Thecouncilishopingtheschoolwillchangethatperceptionforatleastsomewomen.Al-ready35havesignedupfortheworkshopwithroomfor35more.PhaneufsaidtheissueisaboutmorethannumbersshesaidbalanceisimportantforensuringgovernmenthasavisionthattrulyreectstheprioritiesofallNortherners.ItssoimportanttohavethevoicesofwomenattheLegislativeAssemblybecausetherewouldbeadifferentkindofvisionshesaid.Ifyouhaveacriticalmassof30percentinanygrouptheresachangeinhowbusinessisdone...Whentheresequalrepresentationofmenandwomentheresabalancedkindofstrategythattakesplaceorganically.Thoughwomenoftencomplainofobsta-clestoenteringpoliticsPhaneufsaidthosebarrierswontcomedownuntilwomenareabletomaketherules.Iftheywereinthereandpartofthepolicy-makingprocesstheywouldhavetheoppor-tunitytochangethosepoliciesthatprohibitthemordistractthemfromrunningshesaid.Phaneufsaidwomenareoftenchallengedbycaretakerissuesandcommitmentstotheircommunitiesandareintimidatedabouten-teringthemale-dominatedpoliticalsphere.Theworkshophopestohelpwomenworkaroundthoseobstaclesbyofferingresourcesandtrainingoneverythingfromcoldcallingtofundraising.Whatwerefocusingonthistimeistheneedtogetyourfaceouttheretostartearlytore-allysurroundyourselfwithsupportivepeopleandtoplanyourteamwellsothatwhenyourereadytogoyourereadytogoPhaneufsaid.Youneedhelpwhenyouredoingyourcan-vassingyourdoorknockingyouneedpeopletohelpyouputoutsignsyouneedpeopletotakecareofyourchildrenmaybe.Theresallsortsofpiecesthatyoujustneedateamaroundyou.RunningforofceonlypartofsolutionWhilesupportingmorewomentoruninelectionsisonesteptowardssolvingtheprob-lemofunderrepresentationPhaneufnotesitmakesuponlyhalfoftheequation.Eightwomenraninthelastterritorialelectionin2011andonlytwowerevictorious.ItsnotonlyaboutengagingwomentorunitsaboutengagingthegeneralpublictovotetheminPhaneufsaid.Shesaidoutrightdiscriminationhasbeenanissueinthepastwithsomecandidatesmadetar-getsofsexistattacksduringelections.Duringthe2011electionYellowknifeCentrecandidateArleneHachehadsignsdefacedwiththewordswhoreandslutscrawledincapitallettersacrossherforehead.LawyerBerthaRab-esca-Zoe-whonarrowlylosttoJacksonLaffertyintheMonfwiriding-wasthesubjectofanonlinesmearcampaignthatwenttocourtaftertheelec-tionresultinginanapology.Similarattacksoccurredin2007whenWeledehcandidateCarolMorinsawhersignsdefacedwithmoustachesdevilhornsandsexualcommentsandcomplainedthatmenharassedheroutsidehercampaignofficecallingherapussyandthreat-eningsexualassault.ThereisevidenceofdiscriminationPhaneufsaid.Shesaidwomenjusthavetokeepputtingthem-selvesforwardtobecomerecognizablealternativestothosecurrentlyinpower.Womensfaceshavetobeoutthere.Wehavetostartearlyencouragethemtomakethemselvesknownandtonetworkpubliclyshesaid.PhotocourtesyofStatusofWomenCouncilSamanthaThomasleftandLorrainePhaneufoftheStatusofWomenCounciloftheNWTencouragewomentosignupfortheirthirdcampaignworkshophappeningFeb.6-7.DeneNationhostingsecondhealthsymposiuminYellowknifeByDALICARMICHAELTheDeneNationisputtingAboriginalhealthcareintheNWTunderthemicroscopetoun-derstandwhatelementsofthesystemarework-ingandwhatpartsarecancerousandneedtobeeliminated.Governmentscommunityrepresentativeshealthprofessionalsandothercareorganiza-tionsareinvitedtoattendthe2015DenendehHealthSymposiumwhichwilltakeplacefromJan.27to29attheExplorerHotelinYellowknife.Thisyearseventcomesasafollow-uptothe2013meetingsheldinFortSimpsonwheredel-egatesdeterminedaneedtoestablishabetterdenitionofvariousAboriginalandnon-Ab-originalgovernmentrolesandresponsibilitieswhenitcomestohealthcare.OnceagaindiscussionswillfallunderthethemeOurPeopleOurTreatiesOurHealth.Wearetakingagoodlookatareportcommis-sionedbytheDeneNationandtheDehChoRe-gionalHealthBoardcompiledbyReneLamothesaidDeneNationalChiefBillErasmusaddress-ingtheongoingTraditionalHealingProject.Ittalksabouthowcommunitypeopleneedtobeincontroloftheirhealthneedsbasedontheirinherentrightshesaid.ThisisvitaltothefutureofDenendehaswelookatthenewhealthboardbeingproposedbytheGNWT.Territorialhealthservicesareinthepro-cessofbeingamalgamatedintoasinglecen-tralhealthauthoritymovingawardfromthecurrentmodelofregional-andarguablyiso-lated-healthauthorities.WiththereporttheDeneNationhopestodiscernexactlyhowcarebasedinAboriginaltraditionsandculturewilltintothenewsystem.Inadditiontodiscussingtheirndingsontraditionalhealingaseriesofspeakerswillbeaddingtheirvoicesandsharingtheirresearchandexpertiseonahostofrelatedhealthis-suesincludingmissingandmurderedindige-nouswomenresidentialschoolsnativehealthcarefacilitiesfromoutsideregionscommu-nitywellnessculturalhealingandmidwifery.Thesymposiumisbeingcoordinatedincon-junctionwithHealthCanadaandtheGNWT.PhotoMeaganWohlbergHEALTHWELLNESSFIRSTNATIONSDeneleadersmeetatthersthealthsymposiuminFortSimpsonin2013.